My Bad Boy Roommate

Chapter Seventeen

"Zach," I breathed out.

Panic flooded through my body as he stepped forward into my home, closing the door behind himself.

"This place hasn't changed a bit,"

He commented as he turned back to look at me.

His mouth opened to speak just as Ryder stepped into the hallway, goldfish box in hand. "Who's this?"

"I'm Zach, I used to work for Shay's father, Shay and I were rather close." I winced at 'close', we weren't, but I knew better than to correct him. Ryder narrowed his eyes at Zach.

"I feel like I know you..." Ryder trailed off, as Zach smirked.

"I don't believe you do."

Zach started for the kitchen as Ryder clenched his jaw, holding his anger back, and for that I was thankful, my nightmares about Zach were still true. He hadn't changed one bit. Nice one moment, then angry and pissed the next.

He wasn't to be trusted, he couldn't be predicted.

Ryder walked up to me just as Zach announced that he would be at the barn.

"What did he mean by you both were "close"?" Ryder asked, and I knew what he meant. Ryder already have problems with our feelings, now Zach being back, this was going to be a battleground.

"We were close, nothing underneath the lines. Now, I have homework, so bye."

I took off to the roof, locking my bedroom door to insure that Ryder wouldn't come upstairs. I watched Zach take the barn loft apart, getting it ready for him to sleep in. What was I going to do now that he was back? He was a nice guy, but bipolar, and that's why he left. To get help, he told me, so that when he came back, we could be "happily together".

He seemed the different but I knew better, this was his nice boy act. The one he gave my mother and father. The one that Aunt Karen saw right through. That's why Aunt Karen was so close to me, and I knew Zach was dangerous, and some nights I wondered if that's why she died. I shuddered thinking of someone murdering Aunt Karen, much less it being Zach. He wasn't a nice guy, and yes he would give a hit or two, but I would never think of him as a murderer.

Zach noticed my presence on the roof and gave a smirk and a wave. Did he think that we could be together after everything he did to me before he left? I couldn't imagine it. I didn't have Aunt Karen anymore for advice so I don't know what to do, besides now Ryder is here and things are going good. But is Ryder actually looking for something long-term or is he using my family and I as a place to stay?

I try not to think of Ryder doing such awful things, I cared about him, more than what would be considered healthy but I didn't care. The thought of him leaving or getting hurt was worse than him using me.

I leaned back onto the roof looking at the blue sky, light specks of white clouds in the east, but promising for a beautiful day. I crawled across the roof, letting myself into my room before running down the stairs. Taking the bridle off the table, I threw it at Ryder's figure lying on the couch, hitting him square in the stomach.

"What the hell?" He groaned before playfully glaring his eyes at me.

"C'mon!"

I threw open the screen door, Ryder hot on my trail, his black converse stepping on the backs of my leather boots.

"Where are we going?"

I turned, giving him a smirk, "Riding lesson number two. "

***

Thirty mintues later, we were in the arena, Ryder on Midnight's back, and I was on the ground next to him.

"Ryder, keep your damn heels down for the third time, if you don't, I will tie a weight to the heels of those boots." I threathened, he was worse to teach then little kids.

Ryder groaned, puttting his heels down. This time I forced him to wear my fathers boots, telling him that he'd put holes in his precious little black shoes if he didn't.

He clicked him tongue as Midnight didn't move, Ryder looked to me for help.

"Click your tongue, and if she doesn't respond, squeeze her stomach with your boots, don't kick or she'll take off."

Ryder nodded, giving a little squeeze as he clicked his tongue, Midnight beginning to walk. Ryder's face lite up in a smile, warming my heart. I walked over to him as he moved his hips with Midnight's motions.

"Calm down these hips," I giggled, "and move up your leg a bit." I said as I moved his thigh up higher on the black Arbian's back.

Ryder pulled her to a stop, before leaning down to me.

"So. Ms. Teacher, am I getting better?"

I smiled. "Yes, you are, but this is still only your second lesson, so don't get too cocky."

He scoffed, before giving me a hard kiss on my lips, I smiled into it. I rested my forehead on his, as he leaned down to me and I stood on my toes for him.

"Oh Shay!"

I turned around to see Zach leaned against the arena gate, not looking so happy.

"I just can't wait til we get to ride together again."

He waved goodbye just as I heard Ryder growl behind me.

"I really don't like that guy."

I looked up tp him, before pulling him by his shirt for another heavy kiss, and that time, I did it because I knew Zach was watching.

Author's Note

I'M SO SORRY! Please don't kill me, I know it has almost been a month, and my only excuse is that I've already been on two trips so I've been super busy. I will try and get another update in before Saturday because then I'm going to orientation at my sister's college for 4 or 5 days. But then after that, I should be home for a week or so then another trip, just don't kill me. Well this was a longer update and more romance, my apology gift.

Thank you for reading & the support,

April

Word Count: 1,050